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Much like GameDev, this page is going to store the latest on timeline and faction notes for our theme. It's replacing GameDev because some of that will still be valuable but other bits will conflict. This page is going to be purely new, definitely accurate information ... except that it's all subject to change as we decide things. :D Timeline 2208 BCE The Asteroid 2208-A-X impacts Earth *A large asteroid (later dubbed 2208-A-X) impacts the Pacific Ocean. This impact is speculated to have caused the mass aridation event that lasted until 2100BC.. 199X Light and Wily make Robot Masters *Doctors Thomas Light and Albert Wily co-invent a new generation of robots that are radically superior to anything that came before them. Combining a revolutionary AI with a newly discovered power source, energen, the pair dub their creations Robot Masters. Blues is the first creation, followed by Rock and Roll. Many industrial robot masters follow, using the new technology to make leaps of productivity in their chosen sectors of work. *The Robot Master core program is released by Dr. Light for free public use. This drastically accelerates the adoption of robot master technology but is done against Dr. Wily's wishes. This marks the first of many disagreements between the two doctors. *Drones and advanced cybernetics follow the development of robot masters, finding new uses for their robotic innovations without the robot master AI. The Wily War Begins *Stealing several industrial robot masters, Dr. Wily forms an army bolstered by his own creations and begins a war against the rest of the world. This attempt at world domination marks the beginning of the Wily War as well as the rivalry between the doctor's two greatest creations, Bass and Rock. Robopol and UN RM Army Formed *Dr. Cossack, already a world-renowned scientist in the new field of roboticist, works with the United Nations to form Robopol, the world's first robot police force. *The appearance of Robopol drives the Wily War to a stalemate, with Robopol quickly outnumbering Wily's army but failing to seize victory because of the Wily Numbers' superior technology. Dr. Light builds X *Dr. Light quietly begins construction of what would become his opus magnum. Expanding on Rock's AI, he creates X, the first truly sentient machine. X's construction occurs in secret and takes many years of the doctor's life. Stardroid Calamity *Without warning, a giant white robot arrives on Earth claiming to seek out evil and begins laying waste to Wily's army. *Despite the war, Rock comes to Wily's aid and helps to defeat the seemingly unstoppable robot. But the white giant's destruction releases seven new robots which were sealed inside of it. Calling themselves "stardroids" the robots begin an indiscriminate attack on all of Earth and easily overpower the remaining Wilybots, Lightbots, and Robopol. *A monsterous entity, "Dark Moon", is summoned by the stardroids above Earth and heralded as the source of Earth's destruction. *Terra, the stardroid's leader, single-handedly destroys most of Robopol in one enormous battle. *Using strange energy crystals found in connection with the stardroids, Light, Wily, and Cossack upgrade their remaining robots in the hopes of beating the stardroids. Bass grabs several and runs off to fight the stardroids on his own. *A climactic battle occurs in space with the stardroids. Terra falls to Rock as the last stardroid but as he's destroyed he awakens Dark Moon. The menacing moon transforms into a giant, blindingly bright robot, a true stardroid, and sets its sights on Earth. *The final battle of the calamity commences. Dark Moon fires on Earth but his attack is deflected by Rock's buster. The glancing blow upset the planet's climate and magnetosphere. Floods, hurricanes, and power outages are rampant. *In the end, Rock overcomes the last stardroid and Dark Moon is destroyed. Earth collectively breathes a sigh of relief and turns its mind to rebuilding. *For full details, see Observer's transcript here: http://antiverse.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=127 20XX Stardroid Aftermath *With the world ravaged by ecological disasters, humanity retreats into the remaining habitable zones to begin rebuilding. Suffering from the loss of much of its RM labor, global loss of life, and damages from the final battle with Dark Moon, the rebuilding is slow but the world at large is at first optimistic. *In a show of solidarity, Dr. Wily ends his war for world domination and works alongside Dr. Light to make the next generation of robots. With the devastation of the Stardroid Calamity dwarfing the Wily War before it, Dr. Wily is pardoned of any serious crimes and sentenced to a long period of community service. *The original generation of robot masters, old or rebuilt, are deployed around the world to restore damaged ecosystems. Almost all new robot development becomes focused on this project and a wide variety of ecological RM designs are produced to suit the many jobs that need to be done. *Robot masters continue to prove their worth as productive laborers but except for some Light and Wily bots, most prove incapable of operating long-term without human guidance and the progress in more inhospitable regions slows. Dr. Cain invents Reploids *Dr. Cain, a pioneer in artificial intelligence, discovers X and pressures Dr. Light to release his unfinished data. For fear of the dangerous potential of X's free will, Dr. Light has been running years of diagnostic tests while creating X's physical body. *Despite his reservations, Dr. Light relents. Dr. Cain uses X's data as the basis for a new species of robots. Dubbed reploids, they prove to have humanlike intelligence and capacity for creative thought. *Dr. Light is credited in Dr. Cain's publication but X's existence is carefully omitted. The First Robot Megacities Form *Reploids are mass produced as part of the recovery effort and quickly help to organize work in distant areas. *The robot work forces expand working outposts into full megacities far ahead of schedule. A paradox is created as new, glistening megacities spring up in uninhabitable deserts and flood plains. Unburdened by most human needs, RMs and reploids build faster than the world's ecosystems can recover. Reploid Culture Develops *As recovery efforts continue, the first generation of reploid workers gives way to the second and third. With a surplus of living space and resources, reploid scientists begin creating new reploids for purposes other than labor. *Occupying the new megacities, Reploids begin adopting a human balance of work and personal pursuits that lead to noteworthy achievements in arts and technology including the creation of Cyberspace, a robot-focused internet that uses DNI. New Able is Founded *The megacity of New Able is founded. A robotic sibling of the human metropolis of Able City, it quickly comes to occupy much the same role as a center for advancements in science and technology. *In the remaining human cities, humans and reploids enjoy a largely peaceful coexistence. Most reploids happily adopt an RM-like role of subservience to their human creators. *Robot megacities see a parallel golden age with the quiet establishment of autonomous governments and uniquely reploid cultures. Treatment of RMs in these cities are mixed with some reploids viewing them as kin or their old but dignified predecessors, while others view them as outdated, lesser lifeforms. Repliforce is Created *A reploid military force, or Repliforce, is founded in many human cities. Officially an international peacekeeping force under the domain of an expanded UN, it nonetheless operates with significant regional autonomy. Reploid cities create some combat units to police themselves but form no standing military. 20XX+50? 21XX? (Uncertain) The Migration *As the ecosystems around robot megacities finally return to comfortable levels, Humans begin a mass migration. What was originally envisioned as a smooth transition quickly becomes a colonial effort as they find foreign cultures readily defended by the cities' independently-minded inhabitants. *Mass auctions are used to sell the reploids and RMs into private ownership, integrating them into the replacement human society. Out of ignorance, no special consideration is given to reploid family units or robots who were created by the independent reploids. Creation of the Maverick Movement *Tensions flare almost instantly as reploids find themselves enslaved and are compelled to give up their possessions and lifestyles. Violent and non-violent resistance are rampant and Repliforce is called in to force compliance. *Maverick incidents abound, including RMs to everyone's great surprise. Some reploid-built RMs resist separation violently and others go berserk as their limiters to serve humans and their creators conflict. Conflicting accounts exist of robot masters crashing to sentience during this conflict, but few survive to be studied. *The Wily Numbers and other robots already in private ownership are polarized by the conflict and fall onto both sides of the rapidly forming battle lines. Some refuse to tolerate humanity's treatment of their new creation while others consider the resistance disloyal and the violence inexcusable. For some, the result is seen as a revival of the Wily War. Creation of the Maverick Hunters *The Maverick Hunters are formed as a subdivision of Repliforce to provide tighter local control of mavericks. Factions Repliforce *The world's robot military. *Answers to a central authority and enforces peace on national borders and (rarely) internally within nations. *Heavily deployed during human repopulation of robot megacities to force compliance of native robots. *Composed predominantly of reploids with strong support from a drone army overseen by robot masters. Maverick Hunters Organization : Combat: Front-line fighters. They're the ones on patrol that keep New Able safe. : Support: Non-combatants or those incapable of fighting toe-to-toe with a military robot. These are medics, information specialists, scientists, and logistics. : Cyber: Hunters who specialize in cyberspace operations to the exclusion of other roles. Many human-navi teams without combat-capable cross fusions are found here. Most are also trained to provide a support role (such as serving as a navigator). Notes *A subdivision within Repliforce that specializes in internal Maverick criminals. *Operates with more local autonomy and normally cooperates with local megacity governments. *Each megacity has its own Maverick Hunter chapter and base. *Is regularly deployed for internal maverick issues as a paramilitary force. *Composed of a mix of reploids and robot masters with few drones. Hunters are elite recruits from Repliforce (or other sources) and operate in small teams (rarely larger than a 12-personnel squad) better suited to urban deployment. *Many Wily Numbers and other Classic FCs became Maverick Hunters in order to protect humans. Mavericks Organization : Combat: Front-line fighters for the Maverick cause. Often ex-military robots from Repliforce or the Hunters, they are trained to fight both on equal terms. : Support: Non-combatants or Mavericks incapable of fighting toe-to-toe with a military robot. These are medics, information specialists, scientists, and logistics. : Viral: Anyone infected with the Maverick Virus. Also known as "the Hounds", these reploids are almost exclusively Combat units unleashed to wreck havoc. Due to their infectious and volatile nature, they are often segregated from other Mavericks and all are branded with a triangular jackal's head to warn others of their condition. Some viral mavericks operate predominately in cyberspace, travelling freely through infected zones to pass information within the alliance or just sewing digital havoc. The Maverick Virus : The one phrase guaranteed to strike fear into almost any reploid, the maverick virus is at once a weapon and a plague. Created by Maverick scientists during the Migration, it was released at a high-point in the war when Repliforce success seemed assured. The virus spread rapidly through cyberspace, infecting civilian reploids and Repliforce alike, and tipped the balance of the conflict almost overnight. While robot virii are nothing new, the maverick virus is profoundly different from those previously encountered. Unlike the transient illnesses caused by more minor infections, the maverick virus has a far more radical and apparently permanent effect. : While poorly understood, the virus' symptoms include increased aggression, paranoia, psychopathy, a lack of regard for personal safety, and insanity. The infection rarely occurs the same in two individuals but violent behavior is the norm in almost all recognized cases. Attempts to capture and study viral mavericks have proven difficult and while DNI is the only confirmed vector, a quarantine period is enforced by Hunters and Repliforce alike following any contact with a suspected viral reploid. The long-term effects of infection are completely unknown but are assumed to be fatal. : Because of their behavior, most viral reploids who aren't immediately terminated or completely rabid make their way to the Mavericks where they are treated at least well enough to remain operational. While Maverick opinion on viral reploids is mixed, their effectiveness as shock troops is hard to dispute. Notes *Technically a term for robots who have attacked humans, the label was widely used during the migration and has come to include many robots who fled legal ownership nonviolently. *Not a cohesive group - the "Mavericks" are an alliance of conquerers, separatists, and social rejects with partly conflicting goals. *Their official goal is "robot liberation" but the notion of genocide isn't foreign to public perception or the Mavericks themselves. *The threat of "retirement" by Maverick Hunters drives many robots into membership despite reservations about their methods. *Only a minority of mavericks are viral despite public perception to the contrary. *Composed of a mix of reploids and robot masters with some drones. *Composed from most to least of: native reploids, human-built sympathizers, native robot masters created by reploid Mavericks, and others such as sentient RMs, cyborgs, humans, and free drones. Several Wily Numbers are also found here. *Many robot masters were created by Maverick reploids and when their creators rebelled, they follow. *Some Wily Numbers and other Classic FCs became Mavericks in response to human and Repliforce treatment of reploids. *Seen by some as the second coming of the Wily War. Setting New Able * Where the majority of PC activity will be. This is the OOC heart of our world. * The sister city of Able City, New Able is a megacity founded by robots. * Caught in the middle of the Maverick War, neither side has full control of the city. * A human district within the larger megacity provides amenities and necessities to human inhabitants. This is the home of the city's Hunter HQ and where security is tightest. * Outside the human district, other districts cater to universal interests such as arts or sciences as well as providing uniquely robotic services, including a generation center and cyberspace cafes. Some buildings have been refitted for human comforts, others are lacking such features as climate control or running water. * Maverick violence above ground is general well-organized and large, targetting infrastructures or other major targets. Fortunately they are rare. * Below ground is a second city - a sprawling maze of tunnels and artificial caverns connected by walkways and subways. Intended as a fallout shelter for humans, it quickly became New Able's slums as the destitute or criminal fled to escape the reach of the city's law enforcement. * Now established as a tangled web of shanty communities, human paupers live alongside ownerless robots. * Mavericks use the underground as a base and regularly clash with Hunter patrols. Conflicts here are common but lower intensity than above. So far, the city's Maverick HQ has proven elusive. Cyberspace A literal information super-highway, Cyberspace was invented by reploids as an internet designed exclusively for robots. It exists in the form of a virtual world accessed by DNI; when a robot "jacks in", they materialize in Cyberspace as their mental self-image. For most robots this is a copy of their physical self with some modifications induced by the environment. Due to the origin of this image, significant differences between a robot's physical and digital selves are often a cause for concern and for viral reploids, the two rarely match completely. *Cyberspace is a robot-invented internet that uses DNI to provide direct access to its users. Netnavis (robot master AI) are used by humans to access this network. *With the release of the Maverick Virus, Cyberspace has become the target of large-scale security efforts to ensure safety for its users. *Robots in Cyberspace generally manifest as their self-image, often modified in some ways by the environment. This normally creates a recognizable clone of their physical body but in rare cases can produce wildly different results. *Besides the Maverick Virus, lesser virii also inhabit Cyberspace. While robots are capable of their own defense against Cyberspace virii in the same manner as they would combat a physical enemy, specialized Cyberspace AI exist specifically to combat these threats (Net Saviors). *A robot who is sufficiently damaged by a generic virii becomes temporarily infected by it. These infections are transmissible through DNI but normally pass quickly and are generally similar to human colds. *The Maverick Virus is treated much more seriously than a common virii and while it can, with great difficulty, be fought, normal procedure is to quarantine the entire zone that it's found in. This has lead to large sections of Cyberspace being unusable to normal humans and robots although viral mavericks can traverse these servers with impunity, providing a secure channel for Maverick communications. *Rumor has it that some Cyberspace-born AI (Darkloids) also exist beyond these quarantines and are unaffected to the Virus. Whether they are immune or already infected, or if they truly exist at all, is a matter of speculation. Neo Arcadia * *An alternate setting for Zero/ZX/ZXA RP??? It turns out they fit together much better than they do with X/Classic/BN. *An isolationist megacity, Neo Arcadia resides in a less hospitable portion of the world that saw large-scale chemical (and radiation?) contamination. *The robot-made city of Neo Arcadia exists above an expansive bunker that houses the city's human population. *In pursuit of a way to live above ground before the slow environmental repairs were complete, NA scientists created humanoids. A human cyborg at the cellular level, humanoids were capable of self-repairs impossible to humans and could subsist off of electricity and energen like reploids. *Resistant or outright immune to Neo Arcadia's hostile environment, humanoids migrated into the megacity itself and began to displace its reploid inhabitants well ahead of schedule. *The massive influx of new mouths to feed off of the city's power grid led immediately to an energy shortage as the power plants sized for its existing robot inhabitants failed to keep up. *A large-scale recycling campaign was initiated to reduce Neo Arcadia's energy demands by reducing its robot population. With humanoids the physical equal of many reploids, all but the most specialized models were labeled redundant and sent to recycling centers. *Escaping into the wastes outside of Neo Arcadia, fleeing reploids founded a Resistance outside of the megacity's reach. *The Resistance makes regular raids on Neo Arcadia for supplies, either attacking patrols outside the city or sneaking in through the bunker complex below ground. Races Humans *The lexicon page is still accurate. Humans are humans, go figure. Cyborgs *This one is still accurate too. Network Navigator (NetNavi) *So is this one. *Netnavis are capable of limited materialization in matterspace, normally as temporary helpers or more long-term as miniature holograms. *A netnavi is normally paired with either a human or cyborg to give the latter access to cyberspace. Being robot master AI, navis share the ability to control simple computer systems, including large scale drone forces, and are sometimes used for this purpose. *By convention, a human/netnavi pair will app as their matterspace species (human or cyborg). In this case, some mention of the navi should be made in the character's +finger. *Just as reploids use robot masters to control drones Robot Masters *Ditto. Free Drones *Me too. Reploids *Almost accurate. What reploids are hasn't changed but minor details of their origin and global legal status may not apply to New Able or Neo Arcadia. The information on this page takes precident in those cases. *Due to their different mental makeup from robot masters, reploids have lost the ability to control drone armies or other large collections of machinery. While a reploid can still operate one or even a small handful of drones without conscious effort, larger numbers will quickly tax a reploid's concentration. For this reason - as well as cost, reliability, and the RM's universal legal status as property - it is not uncommon for reploids to own and operate robot masters in the same fashion that humans do. New Able Reploids *More 'robotic' than human-built reploids, natives of New Able are still humanoid in appearance but are not built as close to human standards. Male and female reploids lack synthskin except on the face and are often fully armored. While a body suit is common as a way of shielding exposed components, wearing human clothing is considered strange and deviant -- they are also hard to find outside of the human district. *Most often generated as juveniles, especially for experimental models. Fully-formed adult models are still built and are more common in previous generations. *All reploids are legal minors for the first year of their life regardless of design. During this period their creator or commissioner is their legal guardian and can have them regenerated in the event that defects are discovered. *Regeneration is the process of fully erasing a reploid's core and then reprogramming it with the original seed. This in effect kills the reploid and replaces it with one of a similar but never identical personality. The morality of this process is debated but it is generally accepted as a necessity. *After a year, reploids come of age and become legal adults. An adult reploid can only be regenerated as a result of severe criminal charges. At this stage, most juveniles are upgraded to their adult bodies. *Many juvenile reploids and some older models are not built with a purpose or are built with multiple possible purposes. Once they come of age they are asked to select their job and are then upgraded accordingly. *Adult reploids changing jobs are not unheard of but specialized models are notoriously difficult to rebuild and reploids with customized designs are often stuck with their original forms. Over the generations, this has lead to many industrial models being recycled as obsolete. *Some enjoy a deep sense of community with the rest of their species, particularly those who spend long periods of time in Cyberspace or otherwise communicating through DNI. Others are more independent, taking advantage of the personal freedoms provided by law. Able City Reploids *Often built to human aesthetics, particularly in the case of female reploids. Reploids designed for companionship are often fully skinned though this is rare among commercial and industrial models as it adds cost and complicates maintenance. Some reploid manufacturers, reasoning that reploids are modeled after the human mind and so should be as physically human as possible, spare the extra expense regardless of the reploid's intended purpose. *All reploids are in effect permanent minors with all legal rights residing in their owners and no time limit on when they can be regenerated on request. Exceptions exist in the case that a reploid may possess evidence relevant to criminal proceedings but these are rarely invoked. *As legal property, reploids are always built for a purpose. This may be as mundane as caretaking in a nursing home but it invariably exists. Most reploids are content with this, but not all are generated as intended and some rebel ("go maverick") against being confined to a job that they feel doesn't suit them. *Integration into New Able has lead to an increase in the number of human-built mavericks. Humanoids *Due to theme, humanoids are found almost exclusively in and around Neo Arcadia. *See here for full information. Banned or Future Races *Stardroids (Dead-Banned): The last time they visited Earth, they almost caused the apocalypse. The canon Stardroids are dead and the planet has plenty of conflicts as it is. *Limited Reploids/RMs (Future): The technology hasn't been invented yet. *AMians/EMians (Banned): As with Stardroids, they're non sequitur to the current conflict. They may be introduced later but no plans for that exist at present. *Darkloids (Future?): There are no plans to introduce Darkloids at present but they don't conflict with the current theme. As with many parts of the series canon, they've been omitted to keep the theme here simpler for the sake of present and future players. If you're really interested in one, talk with staff. *Carbons (Banned): Sorry Legends, you're in the same position as Star Force. Characters Classic * Classic characters are either Mavericks, Hunters/Repliforce, or unaligned on a case-by-case basis. The events of our theme will affect each character uniquely. Classic characters can apply to any faction within reason. X * Repliforce and Maverick Hunters are in the Repliforce and Maverick Hunters. Note that as the Hunters are a subset of RF, they can and do function as one faction in the case of most crime stopping. Due to differences between our theme and X canon, especially regarding motivations for maverickism, canon Hunters can apply to be Mavericks in our theme and vice-versa. * Mavericks are still Mavericks by default but can also apply to be Hunters on an individual basis. Zero *At home and cozy in Neo Arcadia as in canon. ZX/ZXA *In Neo Arcadia on their respective sides of the battle lines. Serpent/the Masters will initially be on the same side as the Neo Arcadian government and most opposition will likely have some connection with the Resistance. Battle Network Cross Fusion *Cross fusion as an extension of cybernetic technology. "Cross fusion armor" is a suit of cybernetic armor either integrated into a cyborg's existing cybernetics or worn by a natural human that is controlled by the user's netnavi (a Robot Master AI). Cross fusion requires a certain threshold of compatibility between the navi and its user, measured as a "synchro rating", that is normally recognized as similar personalities or deep trust and understanding. *Cross fusion armor is usable by civilians but like civilian robots, the result is weaker than industrial or military equivalents. Cross fusion elevates a human or cyborg up to the rough norm of their robot contemporaries, until it runs out of power and ends. *Human members of the Maverick Hunters are strongly encouraged to have a cross fusion armor and will be denied any combat roles in the event that they don't. Sufficiently augmented cyborgs are an exception to this rule and may be issued a partial armor with no AI. ''Cyberspace - ''Tentative *Cyberspace is a robot-invented internet that uses DNI to provide direct access to its users. Netnavis (robot master AI) are used by humans to access this network. *With the release of the Maverick Virus, Cyberspace has become the target of large-scale security efforts to ensure safety for its users. *Robots in Cyberspace generally manifest as their self-image, often modified in some ways by the environment. This normally creates a recognizable clone of their physical body but in rare cases can produce wildly different results. *Besides the Maverick Virus, lesser virii also inhabit Cyberspace. While robots are capable of their own defense against Cyberspace virii in the same manner as they would combat a physical enemy, specialized Cyberspace AI exist specifically to combat these threats (Net Saviors). *A robot who is sufficiently damaged by a generic virii becomes temporarily infected by it. These infections are transmissible through DNI but normally pass quickly and are generally similar to human colds. *The Maverick Virus is treated much more seriously than a common virii and while it can, with great difficulty, be fought, normal procedure is to quarantine the entire zone that it's found in. This has lead to large sections of Cyberspace being unusable to normal humans and robots although viral mavericks can traverse these servers with impunity, providing a secure channel for Maverick communications. *Rumor has it that some Cyberspace-born AI (Darkloids) also exist beyond these quarantines and are unaffected to the Virus. Whether they are immune or already infected, or if they truly exist at all, is a matter of speculation. Star Force ??? Legends ???